The Day of Love
by odalys-ortiz
Summary: The day of love isn't something that you would expect these two to celebrate. John and Joss are constantly denying that there is something more to their relationship other then friendship. However, this year Joss has a plan to understand where John's feelings for her really lie.


Disclaimer: Nothing still belongs to me but the freedom to write about these two.

* * *

The Day of Love

Joss felt like she wanted to rip her hair out; staring at he pink and red confections was only giving her a huge headache. Why did she decide to make today of all days a big deal? It was completely pointless. She had to believe that John wasn't into this type of holiday tradition. It was too sappy and you practically told people how needy you were.

Valentine's Day was not the best time to be invited to his home for the first time in their relationship. In her surprise, Joss hadn't even realized the significance of the date when the arrangements were made. Now she was standing in a market close to her home, picking what kind of beer she would bring with her. She just wanted to be out of there and head home to get ready for tonight. It would be too late to call and cancel and, in reality, she didn't want to.

The changes in John were not lost on Joss. He was looking at her differently than he had since they met. His eyes seemed softer, more expressive. Joss couldn't help but admit that she enjoyed this new found attention that he was giving her. The later part of last year had been pretty rough on the both of them, but now it felt like their relationship was getting back to normal, and then some. The looks John would give her now left her hot and bothered. Even after getting demoted and in the midst of her quest to take down HR, it felt so good to have some real stress relief in her bedroom.

His eyes were doing things to her that she didn't want to admit even to herself. In the privacy of her home when Taylor wasn't home, she was able to think about things and what they meant to her. Just because she found herself thinking about John in a different light than just a friend didn't mean that he felt the same about her. This was something that would pass, or at least that's what Joss kept telling herself. John was showering her with attention, yeah, but that wouldn't last and he would go right back to Zoe.

The mission at Club Blur opened her eyes to the other woman's motives. Zoe was making it clear that she was after John; but it was also clear that John had no interest in continuing whatever relationship they had. Joss had his attention that night, even if she hadn't meant to get it. Or maybe she did?

Finally deciding on a six pack, Joss went to the nearby counter and paid before heading back home. She only had a few hours to get herself ready for John. She didn't really want to call it a date but that's what it felt like to her. Alone with a gorgeous guy on the sappiest holiday of the year? Yeah, it was a date. First step would have to be finding the right dress to maybe get John to lose a bit of control. If he really wasn't interested in her, it wouldn't hurt try.

* * *

Joss gripped the six pack that she bought earlier while she rang the doorbell. After heading home from the store, she had changed into something a bit more casual. The jeans that Joss wore hugged her hips deliciously well and she decided on a red blouse that helped to draw attention to her chest. Her plan was to be a little bit blunt to see if she could get a reaction out of John.

Her hair was up in a bun held in place by a few clips with a few strands framing her face. Joss opted to not really use too much make up except for some eye shadow and a light shade of lipstick. On her feet were designer boots that she got from a girlfriend as a birthday present.

It was the first time John ever invited her over, catching Joss off guard. She figured John to be a private person and wanting his boundaries.

The sound of locks being undone drew her focus back on the door. The sight before her when it opened made her glad that she was somewhat prepared mentally for the plan. John stood before her in his trademark dress shirt and slacks, but his hair was disheveled and wet as if he had just gotten out of the shower. It made for quite the sight and Joss wished that she could have snapped a photo for herself.

"Well Detective, you're right on time." His eyes looked her over before continuing. "Come on in." John moved over to give her room and took her jacket to put on the nearby hanger.

The second she stepped foot inside, Joss let out a whistle. "Damn John, being a vigilante pays really good."

"Actually, it was a birthday present." Joss turned around and gave him a look of disbelief. "What can I say, the guy is quite generous even though I do wonder sometimes if he understands boundaries?"

Joss was disappointed that she hadn't known about John's birthday. She probably could have bake him a cake or at the very least paid him a visit. The guy didn't look a year above 30. John sure knew how to take care of himself. Even with just coming out of the shower, he still looked good enough to eat. Joss had to focus on the plan. "Well happy belated birthday to you John." He escorted her to the kitchen area.

"Thanks" John said, giving her an appreciative look before dropping the subject. Now she could confirm that he wasn't one to celebrate that day. She would have to change that attitude next year. Joss dropped the pack on the table.

Joss's small frame bounced up onto the chair. "So what are we going to do, just sit here and have few beers?"

John turned around to face his stove. "That was pretty much the idea." There was what sounded like hissing from something. An aroma filled the air that had Joss's stomach rumbling.

Being so busy trying to figure out how to go about with this plan, she had completely forgotten to eat something in the process. It was a joyful opportunity to taste the culinary skills of John Reese. "So what did you decide to make on this special occasion?" Curiosity got the better of her as Joss got up to hopefully get a peek at the meal in progress.

However John's large frame was doing it's best to keep it hidden from her and Joss huffed in response. Understanding that there was no way she would win, Joss obediently went back to her chair. She would play the good girl…for now. "I thought that while I was getting cleaned up, I would bake a herbal chicken and some garlic mashed potatoes." John was beginning to put the finishing touches on his surprise dessert.

"I could keep an eye on things while you finish drying off." Joss was fighting the urge to drool at what he was making. She wasn't saying that she was a bad cook or anything but it sounded like this took a while to make. Joss was feeling so special because he had done this for her. Was it because it was her first visit or was the holiday affecting his brain? Either way, Joss knew she was going to be eating good tonight.

Not one to be a fool, John scoffed at the offer. "Why, so you can sneak small bits here and there? Not on my watch Joss. Besides, I want to see your beautiful face when you taste this." The compliment caused her cheeks to flush a bit and once again Joss questioned if the holiday was responsible.

"Of course" Joss said, popping open and taking a swig from the can.

* * *

The banter between them continued as John prepared the meal he promised. They each downed one can of beer and Joss could feel the slight buzzing in her head. She wasn't close to being drunk but she was feeling more relaxed, forgetting what day it was today. John amazingly managed to style his hair while continuing to keep his cooking techniques a secret. As the cowlick came to life, Joss could hear him growl a bit before getting back to work. She couldn't help but think of it as another adorable feature to him.

Everything was coming together as John began to put the finishing touches to her plate. Cutting a piece of chicken and putting on the plate, he scooped up a generous amount of potatoes and added it as well. He had sensed her hunger and was quite generous with her portion. The smile on Joss's face when he turned around was priceless.

John placed the plate down right in front of her. "Bon appetite. I made sure to give you plenty and there is more in case you want seconds."

Joss had to fight the urge to jump up and down like a kid about to eat up an ice cream sundae. "Good man. Now if you'll excuse me, it's time to indulge." Grabbing the fork John offered, she took a small bite of the potatoes. Her taste buds began to tingle at its richness and creaminess. Today she was definitely going to spoil herself. Tomorrow she would be able to work off any pounds she gained.

"Looks like there is no need for me to ask what you think? That look on your face pretty much tells me everything." John then got his plate together before taking the seat just a bit closer to her. "You might not want to try the chicken, wouldn't want to take you to the hospital."

Oh she just couldn't resist at that comment. Joss went in for a piece, noticing how tender the meat was as it literally melted off the bones. When she took it into her mouth and began to chew, Joss could swear that she had died and gone to heaven. She had dated guys in the past that couldn't cook for her nearly as good as this. "Oh my god John, you are spoiling me. This is so good."

"I can give you the recipe for Taylor if you want" he offered.

"Don't know if I would be able to recreate this. I don't really cook too much because of the job and all." Once again Joss savored the food as she continued to eat, sighing in appreciation for the marvelous taste.

John just watched each one of her expressions, smiling a bit that she was enjoying the food so much. "So I take it you haven't had someone cook for you before?"

Damn it. Joss should have been more careful, but the food was just too good. There was no way John wasn't going to figure it out. He was lavishing her with a beautiful meal. There must have been some ulterior motive for this. She decided that she would hold off on judgment for now and continue to eat to her hearts content. "You don't know the half of it. Cal tried to cook me something a few weeks ago and ended up almost burning my place down."

It was meant to be a joke to lighten the mood, but Joss noticed that John's posture stiffened and his eyes had darkened when he looked at her. The subject of her ex-boyfriend wasn't really something he was fond of. It was not lost on her that John had a jealous streak in him. Joss could see it whenever another man looked at her. She never figured that John would be one to get all possessive even though she wasn't his. Joss didn't like the idea of a man thinking that he owned her like a piece of property. It was strange how much she was enjoying John's undivided attention though.

* * *

Joss breathed a content sigh as she finished the plate offered to her. It had been more than satisfactory and she was definitely craving seconds. She teased John with a slight purr in her voice. "I think I'm ready for those seconds now John." His name was drawn out a bit.

It took all the strength in the world for John to fight the reaction that her voice caused in him. That voice was something he longed to hear as his tongue drew a path down her bare stomach to the real treat between her legs. Joss was making things so difficult. but John had to remain strong if nothing else, to at least give her the pampering she deserved but figured she never got.

Her earlier reactions when she started eating told him all he needed to know. "Well Joss, I hope that you saved room for dessert." The little twitch of her ears reminded John of a cat. John's mind strangely thought that Joss would have sleek black fur and would walk with a mixture of grace and attitude. He would have adopted her and taken care of her. Dragging his mind back to the real world, John stood up to take his and Joss's plate and put it in the sink to clean up later.

Now John got two smaller plates and once again blocked her view. "John, don't be such a tease. You're spoiling me senseless tonight and don't even let me see what you are doing." Joss was surprised at how quickly it had gotten dark. She was enjoying herself too much to care really. Taylor was over at a friend's house to study for an exam so she was free for the rest of the evening. Her eyes followed as John went over to the fridge to get something before going back to where he put the plates. She was feeling so content that Joss didn't really care anymore if John had a reason for waiting until Valentine's day to invite her to his place.

Turning around with another smirk, John presented his next gift. "Well you know the saying Joss. A magician never reveals his secrets."

Joss's eyes widened as he now presented her with what he described as candied peaches with vanilla bean ice cream from a nearby shop. For some reason, this had Joss fighting back tears. Maybe it was because of the buzz she thought she still had; but Joss was feeling something that she hadn't allowed herself to feel in a while. Such a simple act of caring that Joss knew in her heart John would have done regardless of the day. Now she wanted to know what his real motives were again because she might have to kneecap him for playing with her emotions.

There was silence as John delicately placed the plate in front of her. He took a second to watch her face, wondering if something was wrong. It was then that he saw the unshed tears. "I never would have thought that my cooking was so good that it would bring someone to tears Joss." Trying to lighten up the mood, John placed his plate behind him. He wanted to focus on the woman in front of him.

She tried her best to hide from him. "Sorry, this isn't like me I know."

"Don't be" John didn't want to see her close up on him. They were alone. The only judge in the room would end up being him. "I like seeing you like this Joss. Showing vulnerability may be a weakness but it also shows the real you."

"John…" He silenced her with a single finger.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Wouldn't want your reputation to get ruined." He pushed the plate closer to her. "Now enjoy your dessert Joss." This time John moved a bit closer to her while Joss did her best to calm down from her emotional episode. She could have hit herself for letting her walls crumble right in front of him.

* * *

It was no surprise that dessert made for a great ending to what started as an amazing dinner. They had agreed to move to the couch to get more comfy. Joss took one side and John sat on the other, leaving an empty cushion between them. She reached up and began to remove the clips from her hair. Her earlier episode seemed forgotten as she watched John out of the corner of her eye.

He seemed to be indifferent sitting over there, so close to touch. John had treated her like she was so special today and she couldn't help but now feel a bit giddy at the thoughts. Dessert had been absolutely delicious and had her cheeks tingling in appreciation. The last clip came out and her hair fell in waves as she laid the clips in her lap. Joss then crossed her legs under her body as she sighed. "Thanks for everything" she said.

"So did it answer your question?" He asked suddenly, catching Joss off guard.

"W-what are you talking about?"

John continued to sit there looking at nothing particular but not her, that was for sure."You came here tonight wondering if I had a reason for asking you to my place on Valentine's Day right?"

Joss was a bit embarrassed that he figured out her plan, but that also brought up another question. If he knew about it, why was he waiting until now to call her on it? "Fine, I'm busted. It sort of was answered. I mean you made me a delicious dinner that I didn't even ask for. I thought we were going to just hang out. You really did spoil me tonight and then I go and have a dumb meltdown in front of you." She sighed, wishing that the moment didn't happen even if she did find what he said to her quite endearing. "Any more surprises?" Joss asked a bit irritated.

John nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "Just one more."

"John!"

He was quick to hold up his hands in defense. "Last one, I promise."

Before he stood up to leave, Joss spoke again after calming down a bit. "John, I didn't even get you anything. You're making me feel pretty guilty here."

"You came tonight. That means more to me than any gift. Now don't turn around okay?" He instructed before standing and heading behind her. Joss could hear things being moved and had to fight the urge to sate her curiosity and peek. There was the sound of footsteps and then Joss was suddenly engulfed in John's masculine scent as he leaned forward to put a large box in her lap. "Here you go." John announced before sitting back on the couch in the same place as before.

Joss stared at the black rectangle box, unsure of its content. "Should I be worried about what I'll find inside?" He didn't answer her. Sighing a bit, Joss lifted the lid and gasped a bit. Inside laying on black foam was a Nano pistol. It was accompanied by its clip lying in the other spot. "You're giving me a gun?"

"Well you were quite fond of it when Shaw showed you hers so I figured I would just get you one so you wouldn't feel left out." John looked over at her, a bit worried that she didn't like his gift. he watched as she reached inside and pulled the weapon out before slipping the clip in as well with an expertise like when she held the one at the safehouse. John noticed how well the pistol suited her from the few seconds she held it.

He could see her eyes light up a bit like a kid on Christmas. "I don't know what to say. It's not everyday that you have a guy give you a gun for Valentine's Day." Joss chuckled as did he at the absurdity of the situation. She leaned forward, putting everything on the table. "Now you are making me feel really bad for not getting you anything. I knew what today was and everything. In fact, this is why I dolled myself up like this." She pointed towards herself as she said this.

"Even better for me. I get to see you in a way not a lot of guys do I bet. I feel so special." John waited to see what would happen now. It was getting late and Joss would have to head home soon.

"Yeah, well don't get the wrong idea okay." Joss then started to put everything back in the box. "This was more than I could have asked for John. First dinner then this. I don't know what I want to do right now."

John's ears perked up. "Do you want to go home right now?" His heart started pounding a bit harder as he waited for

Joss shook her head. "No, I want to stay John." Her voice dropped a bit as she looked over at him, the seriousness of the situation hovering in the air. "Taylor is at a friend's house studying so I don't have to go home, unless you want me to."

Instead of answering, John shuffled over the cushions until their thighs were touching. Before Joss could ask what he was doing, John reached up to trace her cheek lightly before digging into her dark hair and pulling her lips towards him. It only took a few seconds for things to get more heated as Joss opened herself up to him which John's tongue took sweet advantage of. Changing the angle, John's other hand reached down and started to move Joss's smaller body more on the couch. His hands on her body left Joss wanting more.

His mouth moved over to her neck, nipping sweetly as Joss's back arched at the hot sensations. Her body was now fully on the couch with John lifted on his elbows so he wouldn't crush her while he wrapped her long legs around his waist. The intimate position had the two of them closing their eyes momentarily to enjoy it all.

When they opened their eyes to each other, a smile broke out on their faces. "Joss?"

"Yes John?"

"Will you be my Valentine?"

Joss had to fight back the laugh at his question and wrapped her arms around neck to bring him into another searing hot kiss, giving him her answer more than once during the rest of the night.

* * *

A/N: I hope everyone has a great V-day whether you spent it with a boyfriend, girlfriend, or a loved one from your family. Thanks SWWoman for the quick beta so I could contribute on this day. You are the best.


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